Meet Mia Prince Mia Prince is a student at the University of Kentucky majoring in Sports Communications with a double minor in Journalism and Fashion Merchandising, Mia hopes to aid in the diversification of male dominated fields through her efforts in becoming the representation for young Afro-Latina women. Mia hopes to one day launch a nonprofit to support and mentor those within her own community who are hoping to enter fields lacking Black and Hispanic role models. Experience Mia Prince's work My purpose and motivation in completing this project was to bring myself to my most vulnerable and uncomfortable and pinpoint the message I would like to convey to the world in having the opportunity to do so. Through doing this, I uncovered a story I didn't even realize I remembered and feelings and emotions I did not even realize I held onto so strongly. I believe the hardest part of this project was determining the exact memory I wanted to focus on. As I started to brainstorm, I began to have an overwhelming amount of ideas and struggled to determine which I would like to be the focal point of my project. I believe the easiest part of this project was, once I got in the rhythm of what I wanted to focus on the words, thoughts and feelings came easily!

Deysi's Project We sometimes come by earth sometimes by air Our eyes swollen from tears Trying our best to push out our fears We think about family were leaving behind We think about the dreams were trying to find Feeling sorrow, but our minds far from hollow Filled with hope, that's the fuel that runs the globe Esperanza, lo que llena a cada humano -Deysi Go Back to Inspired By ... 2024 Project List

The Moonlit Vine by Elizabeth Santiago Fourteen-year-old Taína just learned that she is a descendant of a long line of strong Taíno women, but will knowing this help her bring peace and justice to her family and community? Despite her name, Taína Perez doesn't know anything about her Taíno heritage, nor has she ever tried to learn. After all, how would ancient Puerto Rican history help with everything going on? There's constant trouble at school and in her neighborhood, her older brother was kicked out of the house, and with her mom at work, she's left alone to care for her little brother and aging grandmother. It's a lot for a 14-year-old to manage. But life takes a wild turn when her abuela tells her she is a direct descendant of Anacaona, the beloved Taíno leader, warrior, and poet, who was murdered by the Spanish in 1503. Abuela also gives her an amulet and a zemi and says that it's time for her to step into her power like the women who came before her. But is that even possible? People like her hardly make it out of their circumstances, and the problems in her home and community are way bigger than Taína can manage. Or are they? A modern tale with interstitial historical chapters, The Moonlit Vine brings readers a powerful story of the collective struggle, hope, and liberation of Puerto Rican and Taíno peoples. Published by Lee and Low . Also available in Spanish, Claro de luna Reviews * "A beautiful ode to Puerto Rican history...Santiago's writing sparkles, even as it draws upon hard realities that Puerto Ricans can face in their everyday lives and sense of cultural identity. Filled with arresting prose and historical stories, this novel brings Puerto Rican history into the present, mixing in realistic themes to which most readers will relate." -- Booklist, starred review * "Readers will cheer for the bold, resourceful protagonist as she uses her newfound power to bring everyone she cares about together ... Mayle's evocative black-and-white art and interstitial chapters centering Ty's ancestors through the centuries round out the contemporary storyline ... Deeply moving, beautifully written, and inspiring." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Mayle's elegant b&w art appears throughout and historical interstitials center Ty's forebears as they endured harrowing events such as genocide and colonization. Via evocative third-person prose, Santiago proudly showcases Taíno culture in this empowering debut that is at once educational, realistic, and speculative." -- Publishers Weekly Kirkus Reviews named The Moonlit Vine one of their Best Teen & YA Novels of 2023 About Social Issues Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 selected The Moonlit Vine as one of the titles to be honored on the Rise 2024 Booklist. This book was a "Top Ten" Title, meaning that it was a unanimous YES for all committee members! Read more about this honor here: https://www.ala.org/rt/2024-rise-feminist-book-project-list Honors and Awards Read Articles about The Moonlit Vine Listen to a Podcast Watch the Book Trailer!

Black and Brown Girls Storytelling Fellowship TUN's 2024 Storytelling Fellowship provided a platform for Black and brown girls to tell their stories. Each fellow received storytelling training, support and coaching toward the development of a narrative project of their choosing. Our fellowship culminated in a showcase in December where fellows read their work and discussed their process. Get to know our fellows below and experience their work! Jordan Richo Jordan's collection of short and flash fiction focuses on black identity, with an exploration of monstrosity that manifests both internally and externally, in an attempt to place marginalized bodies into dreamy gothic narratives that contend with double consciousness and generational trauma that exists in familiar spaces. Experience Jordan's work here! Cristina A. Perez Cristina's poetry collection is about a week she spent in Puerto Rico in 2023. It was the first time she had been back there since her grandfather passed away 5 years prior. It was also the first time she went to Puerto Rico knowing some of its history. In this collection, she includes photos to go with some of the poems to make it feel like a scrapbook. Experience Cristina's work here! Zoe Umeh Zoe's story follows a character who can transfer their consciousness into different physical entities — from humans to bugs to computers. The idea she is exploring is that we are operating physical vessels and our souls reverberate the lost parts of our genuine identities that we forget upon our birth. Experience Zoe's work here! Kameryn Thigpen Kameryn's work consists of 4 essays that speak to different experiences in her activism and liberation journey. These essays include both personal chapters and academic references. Experience Kameryn's work here! Andreanela Ordoñez-Carbajal My work builds upon my personal and creative goals as I am pursuing pathways that centers community work, advocacy, and the arts. I interweave my own experiences, my social justice work, and storytelling to bring on change within my communities. Andreanela's work will be uploaded soon! Maya Adenihun My narrative project is a retelling of my journal entries from my first year of college in a digital, interactive archive. The format and story told demonstrates how a writer in the early 21st century is influenced and how their work is a part of a collective narrative. Experience Maya's work here!

What is Nonfiction? Nonfiction is a form of writing that tries to accurately represent an event, information, people, or community. This means that the subject of the writing really happened. It is different from fiction because the writer does not make up the story, but it can be told from a subjective (how our biases, opinions and experiences shape an event) or an objective viewpoint (an attempt to be free of biases or a specific perspective). Nonfiction attempts to be accurate, but that doesn’t mean it always is, it just means that the author believes that their account of the subject is truthful. Nonfiction can take many forms including self-help books, biographies, memoirs, history, cookbooks, news articles, op-eds, and travel writing. Types of Nonfiction Did you know that nonfiction books are the most sold books in the United States? There are many types of nonfiction, so these are just some to get to you started: Narrative Nonfiction : Narrative nonfiction (sometimes called creative nonfiction) tries to tell a true story about an event, place, people, or community. This genre, although telling a true story, is written like a fictional story and flows as though it was a novel instead of real life. It often includes, like in fiction, a climax and a resolution to the story. Expository Nonfiction : Expository writing educates the reader about a specific subject and exposes new information or teaches them a new skill. It presents information and can come in many different formats. Examples include news articles, textbooks, or cookbooks. Examples of Nonfiction Here’s a list of nonfiction examples that can help you start thinking about your own writing. A couple of questions to ask yourself for further thinking are included after each link. If Your Schools Won’t Teach Anti-Racism, Here’s What You Can Do at Home : by Meena Harris How did the author use real life experiences and examples to support her thoughts? How does she provide new information? Teaching Ferguson & Black Lives Matter : by Bettina Love How did you feel reading about the author discussing events that happened in their classroom? How does the author convey a story through their writing? Exercise: The Ultimate Form of Self Care : by Dr. Jacque Strait, PhD What did you think of the way the information is formatted? How is the writer’s point made? Stay Curious in Tutka Bay: Because Small Things Matter : by Juno Kim What did you think of how the story of the travel is told? What impact does reading someone’s account of a place, you may not have been to, have on you? Nonfiction Topic Ideas When you write nonfiction you generally need to have some sort of research or knowledge of the subject to support your writing. You may need to do some additional research depending on the subject you wish to write about. Now You Try! Read the following topics and pick 1-2 that you might be interested in writing about. Try to come up with a few ideas for each topic, which can help you form an outline for your writing: What event in history do you find really interesting, or do you think needs to be told from a different perspective? Is there a person in your community or family who has a cool or interesting life? Who is it and why would you want to write about them? Are there recipes from your family or community you would want to share? What are some of the recipes? What current issue (schools, pollution, etc.) do you feel passionate about and have a strong opinion that you can express? What research would you need to support your opinion? Is there a place you’ve traveled to or a community you live in that you think the world needs to know more about? Where is that place and who are the different people or things someone would need to experience? Is there a skill or subject you know a lot about and want to teach other people? What is that skill or passion you have? How would you go about writing about it if you had to describe it step by step? Nonfiction Prompts Pick 1 of the prompts below and write a response to it: What event in your life has angered you the most? Write the scene where it happened, and tell us what you would do if it happened again. Write about a secret that you’ve never told to the person you love. Find an object that means a lot to you in some way. Using the memories, the connection, and meaning of that object to you, try to create an advertisement as to why someone else should have this object as well. Free write a diary entry about your schedule as soon as you woke up today. Pick a very specific topic you have always wanted to learn about. For Example, dark matter in space, cat’s purring, tornado weather, etc. Do research on this topic and explain how it works. Want More? Here are a few nonfiction works to help you generate ideas about topics you can write about: An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz: The history of the United States is often told through the perspective of those who have colonized others and held power. This history book is told from the perspective of Indigenous people on how history unfolded. The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table by Minda Harts: Drawing upon her knowledge working in many businesses, the author wrote a book that helps women of color figure out how to navigate the workplace. The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey by Che Guevara: Born in Argentina, Che Guevara, then a medical student, took a journey across South America in honor of his friend’s birthday. In this book, the audience learns more about how the trip and how the people he met on it changed his life. Vietnamese Food Any Day by Andrea Nguyen: Our parents and families are often a key part of how and what we cook. In this cookbook, the author draws upon her experiences growing up and her mother’s cooking tips to write a book about the food of her culture. Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin by John D’Emilio: This biography of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin describes his life and the way his background and identity shaped his life and legacy. Other Helpful Examples The 20 Best Works of Nonfiction of the Decade ‹ Literary Hub Ten essential resources for nonfiction writers Learn About Nonfiction: Definition, Examples, and 9 Essential Nonfiction Genres - 2022 - MasterClass Are you ready to submit your nonfiction worl or a section of it? Upload here!

Black and Brown Girls Storytelling Fellowship The Black and Brown Girls Storytelling Fellowship aims to provide a platform for Black and brown girls to tell their stories. We are providing storytelling training, support and mentoring to nurture the development of a creative storytelling project of the fellows choosing. Our fellowship will culminate with a showcase in September 2023. Be on the lookout for showcase announcements, but get to know each of our storytellers now! Experience fellow Nabila Anandira's work now! Experience fellow Journey Hightower's work now! Experience fellow Mia Prince's work now! Experience fellow Hannah Richo's work now! Experience fellow Shyienah Jiménez-Rivera's work now!

This episode is a compelling discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Santiago about why it's important for young people to own their narratives. Through the telling of her own story, Dr. Santiago helps us to understand why it can be harmful to tokenize young people, why students of color require support navigating higher education spaces, and how her own story influences her game-changing work at MENTOR. Click anywhere below to access the episode.

For Teachers Supporting Choice Reading for Students in Distance Learning https://www.edutopia.org/article/supporting-choice-reading-students-distance-learning Tags : Choice Reading, Literacy, Distance Learning, Student-Centered Learning, Covid-19 How to improve schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to students https://hechingerreport.org/how-to-improve-schooling-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-according-to-students/ Tags : Student voice, Covid-19, school improvement American Indians / Indigenous Peoples / Native Nations https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/american-indians/ Tags: Social justice books, Children’s stories, Kid’s stories, Native Americans, Indigenous A Guide to Teaching Writing With Minecraft https://www.edutopia.org/article/guide-teaching-writing-minecraft Tags : writing, writing instruction, Minecraft, creative ideas The Weaponization of Whiteness in Schools https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2020/the-weaponization-of-whiteness-in-schools Tags : Whiteness, Schools, School improvement, weaponization The Forgotton Slavery of Our Ancestors https://www.tolerance.org/podcasts/teaching-hard-history/the-forgotten-slavery-of-our-ancestors Tags : Native Americans, slavery, history, Indigenous

Watch this panel discussion that includes Hurricane Maria survivors from Puerto Rico talking about their experiences.

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